Marian+Lang

On November 11, 1909, Marian Lang, age 29, died her home on N. 52nd Avenue in Chicago, from septicemia caused by an abortion.

Dr. E. L. Pope was indicted by a grand jury. The source document does not indicate that the case went to trial.

Note, please, that with overall public health issues such as doctors not using proper aseptic techniques, lack of access to blood transfusions and antibiotics, and overall poor health to begin with, there was likely little difference between the performance of a legal abortion and illegal practice, and the aftercare for either type of abortion was probably equally unlikely to do the woman much, if any, good. For more about abortion and abortion deaths in the first years of the 20th century, see [|Abortion Deaths 1900-1909].

For more on pre-legalization abortion, see [|The Bad Old Days of Abortion] Sources:
 * [|Homicide in Chicago Interactive Database]
 * death certificate



include component="tagCloud"